marley and me
by pondlilyrue
Summary: he wouldn't dare tell anyone of his struggle/she kept her suffering secret. yet, somehow, they found each other. ryder/marley
1. blurry eyes and body type

**marley and me**

_by pondilyrue_

Ryder sighed as he put his head in his hands. He glanced down at the _D_ on his History test and attempted to play it cool. No one had to know that he couldn't read to save his life, save the fact that he was sixteen years old and stumbled over Spot the Dog. He could just imagine the taunts that would ruin his squeaky-clean reputation in the school. It would be the death of him.

Sam Evans nudged him in the side. Ryder knew Sam struggled with dyslexia; that being the reason he was in a sophomore History class. It didn't seem to bother the blonde boy though. Come to think of it, nothing seemed to bother Sam (save the fact that someone dare say something bad about his long-distance girlfriend, Rachel Berry). "I know what you are going through," Sam muttered to him quietly.

Ryder stiffened. He turned around and faced the boy's green eyes. "Don't you dare say anything," he glanced nervously behind him and saw everyone else was engaged in their own day-to-day routines and didn't care about the silent exchange between the two slow students.

Sam gave a breathy laugh. "I said I know what you are going through, and I know how it feels to feel.. stupid and misplaced. I got a tutor, and hey I'm doing alright." The quarterback shrugged and showed his test _B- _the paper read.

"Yeah, like I'm going to ask for help," Ryder scoffed. No one had to know.

….

Marley plunged two fingers down her throat, just like Kitty had told her to. She didn't know why she listened to the manipulative blonde, but the Cheerio had an ideal figure and obviously knew how to keep up appearances. She felt the fire rising in her throat and emptied out the contents of her stomach into the toilet.

Sweat beaded across her forehead, and she stood up on two shaky legs and glanced at her reflection in the mirror. Critically, she fingered with the hem of her plaid shirt and jeans. Marley thought she looked fat. She always looked fat. She was going to be like her mother and she knew it. Shaking her head at her appearance, she lapped some water into her mouth, washed her hands, and chew and spat out a breath mint.

Once she was out in the hallway, the deviless herself sauntered over to Marley. "Listened to my advice?" she asked. Marley nodded her head. Kitty laughed. "Of course you did, Hobo! It doesn't matter. Either way you are going to be a big fat whale like your mom. You know that? That's why no one likes you."

Ryder furrowed his brows. "What advice?" he asked warily, looking between the two rivals. Marley shook her head and scanned through her brain, fumbling for a lie. She hated lying. Especially to a good guy like Ryder.

"Oh, you know, clothes stuff. And I know Kitty, I am hopeless." She shrugged. No one had to know.

…..

Marley was heading out to Spanish class when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning around, she already braced herself for the present of her arch-enemy Kitty. However, it wasn't. First she saw the Bieber hair, then the beautiful eyes, then the perfect body.. It was Ryder. Swallowing hard and trying to contain her blush, she managed a 'hi.'

He looked upset. Ryder had a frown on his face, and Marley immediately wanted that sad look to go away. She swallowed heavily and asked "What's wrong?"

"You lied to me," His voice wasn't angry, but sad. "What advice did Kitty give you?" Marley bit her lip. She didn't know how to respond; she didn't want to lie to Ryder – one of the only good parts of her life.

"J-just some things to make sure I don't end up l-like my mom," Marley stuttered and kept her kind ocean eyes trained on the ground. She didn't dare look up – for, she couldn't gauge his reaction when her orbs were elsewhere.

Marley could hear Ryder's sigh. When he spoke, he was completely serious. "Marley," he said quietly. "What are you doing to yourself?"

Biting her lip again, she spoke very quickly. "Kitty told me that to keep thin, I should push two fingers down my throat, a-and -" she was near tears now. Blinking them back, Marley dared to look up at Ryder.

"Why are you doing that to yourself? You're beautiful. I think you are amazing the way you are," he said then enveloped her into a hug. That was when she allowed herself to cry. Tears pooled down her cheeks and down her necks, and she let out slow, shaky breaths.

Yet Ryder held her tight.

And, just for that moment, everything felt alright.


	2. postponing and compromises

**Chapter Two**

**A/N: **Yes! Here I am with the next chapter of Marley and Me! Hopefully we can have a few more reviews with this chapter :) I hope you enjoy xx Kacey

….

Ryder's mother frowned, her eyes narrowing as she examined the slip of paper in her hand. "Ryder," she began softly, "you are going to have to quit football."

Ryder almost choked on his Coke. He bit his lip and shook his head, "Mom... I-it's hard." She looked at him with disappointed eyes, and he felt his heart sink. He absolutely hated it when his mom was disappointed in him. Ryder wasn't lying – he did try really hard.

"Ryder, your teachers and I agree that you are very intelligent. You are just lazy, and you do not apply yourself enough in school. Mr. Shue said you barely _ever _turn in your Spanish homework. Why, Ryder?" she locked eyes with him, and he swallowed the lump in his throat. He was going to have to tell her; he was _going _to.

"Mom, I-I don't know how to say this. I... I have a hard time like reading the work the teachers give me. I-it's like everything is so messed up and jumbled up, and I-I can't read." He continued, "I think I may have dyslexia, mom."

Silence.

Ryder and his mother just stared at each other. She looked like she was about to cry; Ryder was gazing at the ceiling, so embarrassed he couldn't even think straight. After a while, she said, "Okay," so quietly he could barely hear her. He felt like a weight had been lifted off of him – she could not call him lazy anymore because he tried _so hard_. He spent hours in the study hall going over assignments, trying to piece together the messed up abyss his mind was.

"I'm going to go talk to a doctor to get you tested." She picked up her phone and left the room, leaving Ryder standing there awkwardly thinking about what he had just done.

_20 minutes later._

Mrs. Lynn came back into the living room. "You are getting tested this Friday after school." First – he felt relief. Then – it turned into indignation.

"Mom, I have a date with Marley after school," he sighed, putting his head in his hands. He _really _didn't want to miss the date. Ryder really liked Marley and wanted to get the chance to talk to her again and maybe kiss her lips.

"You have to post-pone it; she will understand."

Ryder nodded. He knew Marley was a cool girl and would understand.

….

Marley Rose was on cloud nine and unashamed of it. After school, she ran over to her mother and began clapping her hands together in excitement. "Mom!" she yelled, smiling so widely it looked like it could make her face hurt. Her mother turned around and looked at her daughter with an amused expression on her face.

"What is it, Marley?" She was happy her daughter appeared so ecstatic. But, could she turn the noise level down a little? Marley sat down next to her and leaned her head on her mother's shoulder.

"Guess who has a date on Friday?" Marley glanced up at her mother through her thick eyelashes and smiled again, this time a little softer. Her mom chuckled and smiled, glad for her daughter.

"Is it with who I think it is?" She teased. Every day after school, Marley would come home with stories about this Ryder boy who helped her so much. She talked about how cute he was, and how sweet and considerate he had been through her body-image issues. She was happy that he was much better than that Jake boy. So, it was no surprise she snuck the cute boy extra meatballs on spaghetti day at school.

_That was the kind of guy she wanted for her daughter._

"Maybe," Marley replied with a demure smile.

Hours passed and the mother and daughter kept on talking, planning about what she was going to wear. Marley felt so great – she was finally making it in a school and had an extremely nice guy interested in her. Could life get any better?

Her phone rang, and she glanced down at the Caller I.D. _Ryder _it said. Her mother looked over her shoulder and grinned. Marley bit her lip trying to hide her smile.

"Hello? - Yeah, I'm doing great. How about you? - Oh, um... yeah, that's fine. - I understand, Ryder. - I hope this gets solved. - Yeah, see you at school tomorrow, bye."

Marley visibly slumped down into her seat on the couch and put her head in her hands. Her mother tried to pry the girl's skinny arms away from her head, but she couldn't. "Marley. What did he say?"

"He has to cancel the date," she murmured. Marley's mother frowned, wondering why this boy couldn't make it. It seemed as if he really liked her daughter.

"Why?"

Marley looked up from her hands, and she had a weak smile on her face. "He does want to do it another time. He's getting tested for dyslexia."

"Oh," her mother narrowed her eyes. "He doesn't do well at school?"

"No," Marley responded, "but he tries really hard. You should see him. He goes to the study hall every day after school and tries. But he told me that he couldn't read at all, and his mother is sending him down to the doctor to get tested."

"Maybe another time then?" Her mother suggested. And, this time, a genuine smile found its way onto Marley's pretty face.

"Definitely, he said," Marley smiled.


	3. fair warnings and shattered trust

**Chapter Three:**

**A/N: **Please don't hate me for this extremely short and dramatic and evil and sad chapter; please don't hate me. xx Kacey

….

Marley Rose knew something was up when Kitty approached her with a smirk on her face. Already bracing herself for the confidence blows, she took a deep breath and faced the sneering blonde who was armed with a high ponytail and a load of makeup perfectly applied onto her face. "Kitty," she nodded, attempting to be civil. But _apparently_, the Cheerio had other plans.

"Trust me, I do not want to waste my precious time talking to you, Honey-Boo-Boo, but I just wanted to give you a fair warning that Ryder is _mine_, and I know for sure he likes me. Why would he pay attention to _you _when he could have _me_? Face it, you look like an overweight circus elephant.." Kitty's eyes were steely and unforgiving, so Marley gulped.

"I have no idea what you are talking about Kitty," Marley told her. Kitty snorted and rolled her crystal eyes. She sauntered away, swinging her hips, leaving a confused but afraid Marley behind her.

….

Ryder was relishing in the fact that he had Glee club with Marley next period. He was in English class at the moment, struggling to keep up with the teacher, but knowing his dyslexia testing will take place tomorrow, and he could be placed in different classes. That was good and bad. Good because he could keep up and not be blown away by the ton of work the teachers assing, and bad that it would be embarrassing as hell being put in special classes.

Shutting his mind from those unwanted thoughts, Ryder was following along on the study guide that Mrs. Will was going over. The words made no sense to him. He blinked once, twice, it was the same. The teacher seemed to see his stress because she called out, "Mr. Lynn, what is the answer to number twenty?"

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he glanced down at the paper. Nope. Couldn't read it. "I.. I don't know," he stuttered. She gave him a disappointed look, muttering something about trying harder, and went on with the lesson.

He just wished people could see.

….

Marley was going to put all her textbooks from the day into her locker when she heard a bunch of hoots. Not really caring, she ignored the sound and put her notebooks away. Kitty's threat had been lingering in her head all day. She knew she shouldn't be worried. Marley could tell that Ryder had no interest in the blonde-haired devil, but she still couldn't help feeling a little insecure.

Kitty was popular and people instantly respected her.

What did Marley have? She was bulimic, unpopular, plain (in her own mind, that is), and had gained no one in the school's respect.

Those thoughts were circling through her head as she traveled down the hall. She had to find Ryder so they could walk to Glee together. She knew that he had English last, so she walked over to Mrs. Will's room, but stopped in her tracks immediately.

Her body tensed and became frozen in her tracks.

There was Kitty – pushed against the locker – kissing Ryder on the mouth.

And he certainly wasn't disputing it.


	4. storming out and tried explanations

**A/N: **So, another chapter *whew!* This one isn't that much less dramatic. Wahhahahahaa *evil Kitty smirk* So.. each chapter is going to have some song lyrics at the beginning which relate to what is going to happen, kind of. Starting.. now! :)

* * *

**Chapter Four:**

_I never thought that you would be the one_

_Acting like a slut when I was gone_

_Maybe you shouldn't, oh-oh-oh_

_Kiss and tell_

- Ke$ha, "Kiss 'N' Tell"

….

Have you ever felt as if you had lost all the breath in your body, leaving you standing where you are and no oxygen breathing into you?

Marley Rose felt like that as she stood frozen in place, right next to Kitty and Ryder where they were making out. She closed her eyes, attempted to take a deep breath, and opened them again. Hoping to be hallucinating. Hoping to be inside of a nightmare.

She looked up and saw a dumbfounded Ryder and a smirking Kitty. _Not a good combination, _she thought to herself. Marley opened her mouth and closed it, not exactly sure what to say. Not wanting to give Kitty the satisfaction of hurting her so much.

Ryder was the first to speak. "Marley, I can explain..." he trailed off, but Marley interrupted with a stronger voice than what she thought she could muster.

"I don't want to hear it, Ryder. Now, go back to your little make-out session because I'm going to Glee." And, with that, she pranced away. But not to the choir room. She went into the bathroom.

Tears had already formed in the corner of her eyes as she glanced at her reflection in the mirror. _What is wrong with me? _She thought to herself. _Well, _Kitty's snide voice echoed through her conscience, _you are as fat as a circus elephant and it is only a matter of time before the fat genes kick in, and you'll be like your honey-boo-boo of a mother._

With that thought, Marley locked herself in a desolate stall and crouched next to the toilet. Her hands shook as she considered what she was about to do. She hadn't done it in a couple of days, and she thought she was getting better. Ever since Ryder held her that one day, her confidence had been doing better – only to shatter today when Ryder and Kitty kissed.

The image imprinted itself into her brain – Kitty's fingers knotted in his Justin Bieber-like locks, his on the small of her back. The thought made her shake with what could only be fury or grief. She didn't know.

She plunged two fingers down her throat and emptied the contents of her stomach.

It felt like fire, she mused. Instead of the vomit, it could be flames in the back of her throat as she heaved and heaved, hoping the pain would wash away. She was a mess. Marley was sweating, vomiting and crying in the girl's bathroom whilst she should be in glee singing. She knew she couldn't face the glee club members, not Unique or Sam (her two closest friends).

So she continued vomiting her guts out, waiting for an answer, waiting for someone to notice, waiting until the pain went away.

….

Ryder Lynn was not too happy with himself. Okay, that would be an understatement.

First of all, he was shaking with fury in his veins, and he wasn't exactly sure who it was directed at. It could be Kitty who came onto him in the hallway, pressing herself against him, holding him in place, and kissing him. Yeah, it could very well be at the blonde Cheerio.

Or, most likely, it would be with himself. Ryder hated that he didn't put up much of a fight when Kitty was kissing him. He was frozen in disbelief when her mouth meshed with his, and he automatically began reciprocating. But he didn't have any feelings for the bitch. Yes, Kitty was a bitch and he didn't feel one ounce of attraction towards her. She wasn't even that pretty. Not a beauty like Marley.

_Marley, _he thought to himself. When she stood in that hallway, frozen in place, he felt as if the world was crashing down around him. She said she didn't want to hear his explanation, then disappeared, but not without him hearing a choked sob which pretty much broke his heart. Once she left, he rounded on Kitty who could not keep that stupid sneer/smirk/whatever it was off of her face, and he was tempted to just smack it off.

But he wouldn't. Because Kitty was a woman – and, no matter how mad he was at her, he would never lay a finger on her. So he settled on storming off while yelling things at her and punching his locker and slamming it when he was done putting his books back in. Then basically running to glee club.

So, that was exactly how Ryder Lynn found himself sitting in the front row at glee, royally pissed. Jake tried to talk to him, but he just shook his head and listened to Finn prattle on and on about duets. Marley hadn't shown, and Ryder still felt that familiar ache in his chest when he saw her run away.

He didn't know if she would listen to his excuses. He hoped she knew how he felt about her. Practically the whole school did. But, Ryder knew how she viewed herself and how she probably wasn't taking this whole debacle well. He knew he would have to call her after school and try to make her listen.

Ryder wasn't exactly sure he would listen if he was in Marley's shoes though.


	5. missed calls and high above me

**Chapter Five**

****_I won't give up on us_

_Even if the skies get rough_

_I'm giving you all my love_

_I'm still looking up_

- Jason Mraz, "I Won't Give Up"

* * *

It had been weeks.

Two weeks, to be exact, since the day Ryder and Kitty's lips touched. The mere thought of the kiss brought shivers down Marley's spine, and tears pricking at the corner of her _blueblue _eyes that used to shine with hope.

She hadn't spoken to Ryder in two weeks.

It was hard ignoring him. Avoiding his longing glances in the hallway, ignoring his attempts at conversation, hiding in the hallways so he wouldn't seen her – she had done it all. Yet, nothing had made it easier (the image of Ryder and Marley lip-locking in the hallway had forever ingrained it in her mind).

Marley felt foolish to say that she hoped she would never talk to Ryder Lynn again.

…..

Two weeks since he had been calling her cell phone, emailing her, messaging her, attempting to stir up conversation, and she hadn't said one single word to him. That was when Ryder knew how much he hurt her, and it killed him that he did so.

In glee club, Mr. Shue could sense the tension in the room, bubbling underneath the surface. Kitty wedged herself next to Ryder, and she sat _so damn close _that their shoulders were bumping. Ryder tried to swallow the bile rising in his throat. How dare she...

So, Marley was obviously under the impression that she would never have to talk to him ever again. Like, ever. Ryder couldn't hold back a smile – she was so naïve, and he was going to fight for her affections. Once again.

…..

Marley was in Mr. Will's English Class, presenting her presentation on The Great Gatsby. Everything was going well; the presentation looked as planned, the class was listening, she wasn't stumbling over her words like she usually did when she got up in front of the class.

That all changed when there was a subtle knocking on the door.

Mr. Will rose up, and opened the door. Marley craned her neck ever so slightly to see Ryder, bashful, holding a test paper and a pencil. He bit his lip, glancing around the room, his eyes falling to Marley presenting. "Um... Mrs. Gills wanted me to make up a test... Uh-c-could I take it in here?" he stuttered. Mr. Will bit back a grin and nodded.

Ryder slowly maneuvered to the back of the room, his eyes never leaving Marley as she resumed her presentation. He tried to focus on the math problems in front of him, but his thoughts were drifting away to how to properly make it up to Marley after what happened.

He glanced at the decorations around the room. Most of them were posters of famous authors such as Charles Dickens, Edgar Allen Poe, Mark Twain. He furrowed his brows and went back to his work. When, suddenly, an idea came into his head.

…..

"Yes, Ryder?" Mr. Shue asked as he just finished a lecture about Sectionals.

"Um... I was wondering if I could sing a song maybe," Ryder cleared his throat. Mr. Shue nodded for him to stand up. He went to the back of the room and grabbed an acoustic guitar, preparing himself for the performance. He had been working on it ever since that day in Marley's English class and had just perfected it the night before.

"So.. this song is about a girl who means everything to me," Kitty smirked as she thought of how Ryder _felt _about her, "... and how I feel about her, I guess." He hated to admit it, but he felt a little nervous. He was broadcasting his feelings to the whole entire glee club _including the very girl that held his heart in her hand._

He began playing the guitar and singing.

_She's blood, flesh and bones_

_No tucks or silicon_

_She's touch, smell, sight, taste and sound_

Ryder thought about Marley and her natural beauty that won over Kitty's overly-done makeup appearance. She didn't have to worry about anything to appear beautiful, and that was how she won Ryder's heart.

_But somehow I can't believe that anything should happen  
I know where I belong, and nothing's gonna happen, yeah_

Ryder knew that he didn't deserve Marley. He broke her heart so many times over, and she was just.. amazing. A guy like him could only dream about the beauty that she is.

_Cause she's so high_

_High above me, she's so lovely_

_She's so high  
Like Cleopatara, Joan of Arc or Aphrodite_

_She's so high_

_High above me_

Marley was _so _high above him. She was strong, beautiful, talented and smart. What did Ryder have to offer her? He was dyslexic, quiet, and had a habit of messing perfect things up. He glanced at Marley's face in the seats and saw her staring dumbfounded at him. Ryder wasn't exactly sure if that was a good or a bad thing. But, he bit his lip and trudged on through the song.

_First class, fancy free, she's high society_

_She's got the best of everything_

_What could a guy like me ever really offer?  
She's perfect as she can be, why should I even bother, ah ha_

Why does Ryder bother?

He lost his chance with her, and he was paying his debt. _Because you are falling in love with her, _a small voice in the back of his head. His throat constricted, but he ignored that voice and poured all his heart and soul into the song.

_Cause she's so high_

_High above me, she's so lovely_

_She's so high_

_Like Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, or Aphrodite_

_She's so high_

_High above me.._

Ryder strummed the final chord, his voice dying out as the song ended.

Silence greeted the glee club as they all stared back at him, shocked.

They all burst into applause. Ryder blushed and sat down in his seat, feeling good about finally getting his emotions out. Suddenly, someone tapped him on the back, and he spun around, meeting a confused pair of blue eyes.

* * *

**A/N: **Well, there you have it. The fifth chapter of Marley and Me. I enjoyed this one; it was full of a lot of drama, but I don't think it is my best chapter. It's kind of setting up for what is to come, I suppose. I guess this chapter is probably halfway through the story.. I'm going to make this story around 8-10 chapters I think.

Anyway, the song in this chapter that Ryder sang is called "She's So High" by Tal Bachman. I adore this song and think that it perfectly fits the way Ryder looks at Marley. In this story, I am making Ryder's character a lot like Peeta Mellark in the Hunger Games – with his selflessness, self-depracating traits, and his willingness to do anything for the girl that he loves.

Read and review(:


	6. bromance and reunions

**Chapter Six**

_I'm like a kid who just won't let it go_

_Twisting and turning the colors in rows_

_I'm so intent to find out what it is_

_This is my Rubik's cube_

_I know I will figure it out_

- Athlete, "Rubik's Cube"

* * *

The orbs Ryder was staring into weren't the kind cerulean tones of Marley Rose; they were hard, sharp and icy. He then noticed the fair-haired, tight ponytail, the William McKinley High School's cheerleading uniform and the smirk adorning the pretty pink lips. It was Kitty Wilde, of course. Ryder spun around immediately, but she held onto his arm. He was surprised she had such a tight grip; she couldn't have been taller than five two.

"Thank you for the song dedication," she purred. Ryder rolled his eyes. "But I think we can work it out," she said, flirting with him subtly. She batted her long mascara-tinted eyelashes and bit her red lips. He wasn't impressed.

"Kitty, I am _not _interested in you. The song was for Marley," he said quietly, noticing Marley glancing between the two of them with upset eyes. "And you ruined _everything_!"

"Oh, Ryder, you were so easy to steal from Honey Boo Boo. Come on, you can _not _be satisfied in a relationship with the circus elephant herself. It'll only be a matter of time before she can squish you with the rolls of fat adorning her stomach," Kitty said in one breath.

Ryder Lynn could hear a chair creaking meaning someone stood up and hurried footsteps exiting the choir room. He knew what this meant - Marley left the choir room in tears.

….

It had been an hour since the debacle, and Ryder found himself in Sam's house. He had taken Ryder home since the younger boy missed the bus by searching for Marley. He was eating a bag of Doritos, thoroughly pissed at the day's events. He was in a mood for a story. "Sam..." Ryder said quietly. The green-eyed boy looked up at him. "How did you and Rachel..." he trailed off, unsure how to phrase the question.

Sam seemed to catch on because his eyes lit up and he smiled. "Fall in love?" Ryder nodded. "Well... it went like this..."

_Sam Evans had just broken up with Quinn Fabray, and he was upset to say the least. Since he figured out she had been seeing Finn behind his back for months, he felt alone like no one understood him. He was in the choir room after school, messing around on the guitar, trying to sort out his thoughts. He began playing an old country song that his mother taught him back in Kentucky._

_Just as he was about to open his mouth to sing, he heard someone burst into the choir room. Interrupted, and a bit irritated, he glanced down at a five-foot-one figure storming into the room. He noticed the long chocolate locks highlighted with blonde streaks, the cinnamon eyes, the red lips, the skirt- it was Rachel Berry and she was angry. Her small hands were clenched into fists and he wouldn't be surprised to see smoke coming out of her ears._

"_That bastard!" she screeched at the top of her lungs, swinging down her purse and slamming it to the ground, unaware of Sam's presence in the room. "That good-for-nothing, hypocritical, dopey, stupid, ignorant.. NINNYHAMMER, SIMPLETON..." The tiny diva seemed to just notice Sam's presence. "Samuel..?"_

_Sam couldn't hold back his amusement at her rant. "Ninnyhammer, really?" He actually cracked a genuine smile. Who knew he would be finding comfort in a raging diva? Her glare softened and she found herself laughing too._

_"Well... you must understand. Finn was going behind my back as well, so..." she shrugged. "I am more mad than sad, you know? Who do they think they are, betraying us?"_

_Sam agreed with every word she said. He was about to speak, but Rachel cut him off. "Hey... I'm sorry for interrupting your song, I had no idea you were in here." She shook her head. "Well. I'll be off! Toodles!" And she left the choir room, leaving a stunned yet intruiged blonde haired boy behind her._

Ryder laughed. "Seriously, Sam?" He found himself laughing too. "That's when you noticed her?" Sam nodded, amusement twinkling in his emerald eyes.

"Well... yeah... but I always thought she was cute, but Quinn would've _killed _me if I admitted it. They had this rivalry going on throughout school, but they are really great friends now," Sam shook his head, "Anyway, Ryder. Let's talk girls. Have you talked to Marley since.." he waved his hand in the air, declaring that he didn't want to say it.

"... Kitty kissed me? No. I've been trying for weeks, but she won't pick up. I really hurt and I would do anything for her to talk to me again, so I can just be near her," Ryder shook his head miserably, "But I think I've lost my chance already."

Sam's eyes widened in horror. "You are _not _bailing, man. That's not cool. Heck, I fought for Rachel when Finn wanted her back. You've got to fight for your woman. Come on, I'll help you." The older boy clapped the sophomore on the shoulder.

….

Marley Rose had not been having the best weeks of her life.

First off – the teasing of her mom had only gotten worse, some of the glee club had even joined in (bitches like Sugar and clueless citizens like Brittany S. Pierce) which had infuriated the pretty brown-haired girl who had stood up for her mom. Second of all, Kitty had been torturing her every second of the day, careful to remind her of her kiss with Ryder, even going into intense detail about the tongue action.

"_And his tongue was in my mouth," Kitty cackled, tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulders, "And it felt great. He's a much better kisser than Jake. And his hand -"_

_Marley finally snapped. She had enough. "Kitty, you don't have to tell me. I know. I've kissed Ryder." And she stormed off, leaving a baffled Kitty Wilde behind her, who quickly recovered and rolled her ice-blue eyes._

And, last of all, Ryder and she were not on speaking terms. Well, Ryder had tried consistently to get the hat-clad crooner to speak with him, she had shut down all of his attempts. She didn't want to get a guy who would make out with Kitty in the hallways. She deserved better.

One aspect of her life that had improved was her confidence. She knew she deserved better than how people were treating her, and that she needed to surround herself with good people. _We expect the love we think we deserve, _the quote rung through her mind as Marley was strolling over to her locker. She ignored the jocks and Cheerios who snickered at her consignment-store outfit, holding her head a little higher. She was in for a shock when she arrived to her locker.

Ryder Lynn was staring at her, leaning against the blue compartment that held all her belongings. "Move," Marley said. He was frozen in place.

Marley was about to open her mouth again, begging him to not make excuses. She was sick of it. But Ryder held up a silencing hand and spoke. "Listen, Marley. I know I was out of line, and I shouldn't have let her kiss me. I was confused and caught up in the moment. But, it seriously does not excuse the way I acted. I... I was just wondering if we could at least become friends again. I miss you, Marley."

She really wanted to be mad at him. But with those begging chocolate eyes asking her for such a simple request – friendship, companionship – Marley knew she couldn't say no. "Fine," she agreed. Ryder smiled and pulled her into a tight hug.

Marley figured she could stay in his strong and capable arms forever. She pressed herself against him, inhaling his intoxicating scent and never wanting to let go.

* * *

**a/n: **ah *sentimental sigh* this brings us to the end of another chapter of marley and me. i hope you enjoyed the Evanberry i added into this chapter. i couldn't help it. i think our story is coming to a close (i think there will be around one to two more chapters). but, right when this story ends, another begins. i am going to give you a preview of my upcoming story "we are infinite" which will be a glee story based on the perks of being a wallflower.

i'll give you the cast..

_charlie - _marley rose.

_sam _- sam evans.

_patrick _- unique.

that's all i have right now. toodles for now(:


	7. bliss and togetherness

**Chapter Seven**

_I said, oh my_

_What a marvelous tune_

_It was the best night never would forget how we moved_

_The whole place was dressed to the nines_

_And we were dancing, dancing_

_Like we're made of starlight_

_Like we're made of starlight_

- Taylor Swift, "Starlight"

* * *

Life was good, Marley figured.

She was walking down the hallway with Ryder, his arm slung across her thin shoulders, smiles evident on both of their faces. Of course, the arm-around-her-ordeal was _totally _platonic (or so both Marley and Ryder claimed), but it still felt nice to be near Ryder. She long ago accepted that she wanted more from him than friendship. She believed she felt this way ever since he came over to her locker and introduced himself to her.

"_Hi, I'm Ryder Lynn," the light-brown-haired boy smiled, his cinnamon eyes twinkling. When he smiled at her like that, it was hard for Marley Rose to gather her thoughts. She found herself stuttering, and saying the stupidest thing possible._

_"I know!" she giggled, resisting the urge to smack herself in the face. Did she **really **say that to such a cute boy? "I'm Marley," she added, to ease her nervousness._

_"I know," he smiled at her._

It was hard to think that it had been only months since the cute football player introduced himself to her. So much had happened – including playing Danny and Sandy in Grease, the small kiss backstage, him asking her out, him cancelling, her going out with Jake, her ending things with Jake, her and Ryder coming back together, Kitty kissing him, her ignoring him, him apologizing and... now.

Ryder seemed to notice her deep thought. "What're you thinking about?" he asked her seriously, shifting his backpack to one side. Seeing no point in lying, Marley responded.

"Just how much has happened in the past couple of months," she said simply. Ryder seemed to catch her drift because he nodded thoughtfully. "I just remembered it's been like.. what, five months?... since you came to my locker and introduced yourself," she laughed.

Ryder laughed too. "Well, I couldn't resist the urge to introduce myself to a really cute girl." Marley froze – did he just say that? His eyes widened too, showing he hadn't meant to say that. He laughed nervously. "Um... sorry, about that. I need to watch my mouth sometimes," he hung his head a little bit.

Marley couldn't hold back her smile (_he thinks she's cute)_. "It's okay, Ryder," she couldn't hold back the affection in her tone. He looked up and smiled that disarming smile that did so many things to her. "I think you are cute too," she said shyly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Ryder bit his lip to hide his smile, but it wouldn't work. "So, now that we both think the other one is cute..." he trailed off, unsure how to phrase it. It was obvious by the way he was staring at her lips and licking his that he wanted to kiss her, and she wanted to let him.

They were standing at the front entrance of William McKinley High School, staring at each other, anticipating the other's next move. It was like some invisible force moved them together. Both Ryder and Marley dropped their backpacks and ran into the other one's arms. They were embracing for a while before Ryder pulled away and stared into her cerulean eyes, she stared back into his coco ones.

Then he dipped down his head to press his lips to hers, and she certainly didn't dispute it. Marley threw her arms around his neck, hugging him closer to her body, pressing her hips to his. He smiled against her lips. In that moment, everything was _more _than okay, it was great.

….

The rest of the day at school was spent in bliss. In classes they had together, they would text each other secretly, sending each other small smiles to let the other one know they were thinking of each other. They would sometimes send each other flirty notes too, winking when they caught the other one's eye.

At lunch time, Marley and Ryder walked into the cafeteria, holding hands. It was kind of funny how everyone made such a big deal about going public because both of them couldn't care less what anyone else thought. _They _were happy together and that's all that mattered. Neither of them could miss Kitty's famous death glare though. She looked like she was in pain, like she just couldn't believe that her ingenious plan hadn't worked.

Marley's mother was ecstatic. She always wanted Marley with Ryder because she trusted the boy, much more than that insolent Jake Puckerman. She also noted how happy her only daughter seemed when she was with the cute brown haired boy. At the glee table, Sam noticed and grinned cheekily at Ryder. "So... our little talk worked?" he asked with raised eyebrows. Ryder flushed and looked down at his lap.

Marley nudged him. "What talk?" she asked Ryder. Sam took the initiative to answer.

"Ah, Ryder came over to my house after school and we talked about girls," Sam nodded his head to himself.

"Mostly it was Sam talking about how he got together with Rachel," Ryder noted. Marley looked up at the boy whose eyes instantly lit up at the name. _Wow, he really loves her, _Marley thought. She hoped Ryder and she would be in that good of a relationship; it seemed to be looking that way.

"No," Sam retorted, "I also told him to go out there and win her over. I had to fight for my girl, and it would be unfair if he didn't have to," he shrugged. Marley laughed at the boy's dry sense of humor; Sam winked at her when Ryder wasn't looking.

They were both absorbed in the conversation that they didn't notice a certain blonde cheerleader making her way over to the glee club table. "So.. I hear Honey Boo Boo's got a boyfriend? Huh, who would've known?" she said sarcastically, bumping her hip to Ryder's.

"Hey, don't talk to her that way," Ryder said. His usually kind eyes had a flash of anger inside of them, and Marley couldn't help but notice how good he looked when he was riled up.

"Defending your own personal circus elephant, huh?" Kitty asked, fingering the water bottle in her hands. Sam let out a bitter laugh.

"You're kind of running out of insults, you know? Get some new ones," he defended. Marley smiled gratefully at him.

"I can do whatever I want," Kitty said. "Because _I_, unlike you, rule this school." And, with that, she stormed off.

"Can she get any more bitchy?" Ryder asked, breathing heavily. Marley shook her head.

"No, she's made my life hell this whole school year," she said regretfully.

….

Word broke out at William McKinley High School that Kitty Wilde and Jake Puckerman were dating. When Marley noticed Kitty strolling through the hallways with Jake's hand encased in her own, the blonde Cheerio smirked at Marley as if she was waiting for her to burst into tears. Obviously, Kitty didn't know that Marley had truly moved on from the womanizer.

"It's only a matter of time before he cheats on her too," Marley remarked bitterly to Ryder in glee club that day. Ryder's arms tightened around her shoulders.

"I know.." he trailed off, "but let's hope that doesn't happen. They can be.. happy.. together." Marley smiled. Ryder was a sweet guy, always wanting the best for everyone.

Mr. Shue strutted into the room. "Okay, guys, today we are going to practice our group number, It's Time."

Everyone grinned at each other. They had been working on it for a couple of weeks now, and they really enjoyed the number. It was an anthem about being yourself, and it suited every glee club member's voices.

_Blaine:  
_

_So, this is what you meant_

_When you said that you were spent_

_And now it's time to build from the bottom of the pit_

_Right to the top_

_Don't hold back_

_Packing my bags and giving the academy a rain check_

_Sam:_

_I don't ever want to let you down_

_I don't ever want to leave this town_

_'Cause after all_

_This city never sleeps at night_

_All:_

_It's time to begin, isn't it?_

_I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit_

_I'm just the same as I was_

_Now, don't you understand_

_That I'm never changing who I am_

_Marley:_

_So this is where you fell_

_And I am left to sell_

_The path to heaven runs through miles of clouded hell_

_Right on the top_

_Don't look back_

_Turning to rags and giving the commodities a rain check_

_Ryder:_

_I don't ever want to let you down_

_I don't ever want to leave this town  
_

_'Cause after all_

_This city never sleeps at night_

_All:_

_It's time to begin, isn't it?  
_

_I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit_

_I'm just the same as I was_

_Now don't you understand_

_That I'm never changing who I am_

_It's time to begin, isn't it?_

_I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit_

_I'm just the same as I was_

_Now don't you undersand that I'm never changing who I am_

_Kitty:_

_This road never looked so lonely_

_This house doesn't burn down slowly_

_To ashes, to ashes_

_All:_

_It's time to begin, isn't it?  
_

_I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit_

_I'm just the same as I was_

_Now don't you understand_

_That I'm never changing who I am_

_It's time to begin, isn't it?  
_

_I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit_

_I'm just the same as I was_

_Now don't you undersand that I'm never changing who I am_

As soon as they finished, everyone looked around and smiled at each other. Even Kitty and Marley offered each other a slight half smile. They all had their arms around each other, and they actually felt as _one_. Just as Rachel said, everyone in glee club loved music, and it brought them together.

Mr. Shue beamed at them. "That.. was.. excellent," he managed. Everyone in glee club began packing their stuff, ready to leave. Ryder got his backpack out but was stopped by Marley.

"Wanna hang out at the Lima Bean?" Marley asked, feeling confident. Before now, she wouldn't be confident enough to ask the boy, but she had a great confident boost after the rough couple of months she had went through. "Together," she added, smiling.

Ryder looked to her and couldn't hold back his smile. _Together_, he thought in his mind. _Together, Marley and Me._

* * *

**a/n: **this brings us to the end of Marley and Me. Thanks so much for all the kind reviews, follows and favorites. Every single one of them meant a lot! But, please do not forget this story! I am going to give you a preview of We Are Infinite, my upcoming story based on The Perks of Being A Wallflower._  
_

I have some more details on the story. It's going to be a Rosevans (Marley + Sam) story, and it will be probably 10-15 chapters. :)

Anyway, bye for now :) I will post the preview to this story! Love you all xxx pondlilyrue


	8. we are infinite preview

**We Are Infinite**

Dear Friend,

I am writing to you because I feel as if no one understands me. I have been told great things about you; she says you are compassionate and stuck by her as her bullying got worse. Please don't try to figure out who she is because then you will figure out who I am. I really don't want you to do that. I will call people by different names or generic ones I made up because I don't want you to find me. I didn't enclose a return address for the same reason.

Anyways, please bear with me. I just want to know somebody listens to me. That there is somebody out there who sticks with you through the thick and thin of life. I just need to know someone like that exists in this crazy world.

I believe my story begins when my best friend, Ryder Lynn, stopped coming to school. I shrugged it off as his first absence was noted. Then his second. Then his third. A week turned into two weeks. Two weeks interweaved into three weeks, a month. I can clearly remember Mr. Smoak's voice on the loudspeaker, "Boys and girls, we regret to inform you that our fellow student, Ryder Lynn, has passed away."

The rest of the day was a blur. I only remember his many friends shedding tears. I didn't cry; I just felt numb. Disbelieving. Ryder _couldn't _be dead, I remember thinking. He was my best friend and maybe something more given time. I recall the guidance counselor telling me that Ryder killed himself. I remember the large lump rising in my throat as they explained his many problems at home – the abuse, the dyslexia, the drugs that his older brother had gotten him into.

I remember breaking down when they finally told me. My older sister, Rachel, had to come pick me up from school seeing as I was unfit to attend the rest of the day. I kicked and cried and screamed. _If only Ryder had told me about what happened at home, maybe he would still be right next to me, laughing and smiling._

Sometimes, I wonder if I have problems at home like Ryder. My mom, whom I love very much, works day and night. I barely ever see her except for at night time, but she is usually too tired to speak to me. I don't have a dad. He's dead – died two years ago – and that tragedy really hit home with my family. My mother threw herself into her work, Rachel only became more determined to get into NYADA because that's what daddy wanted, and my brother, Finn, would hardly speak for sometime.

Memories of my dad are always with me. I remember when my daddy, Hiram, let me stay up late and watch the night shows. I don't remember much about it except for his warm smile and how he held me close. I miss him dearly.

I should probably go to sleep now. It's getting ridiculously late, and I have my first day of high school tomorrow at William McKinley High School. Also, speaking of my dad makes me very sad, and I tend to cry when I am sad, and I'm truly not in the mood for another panic attack. That would worry my mother.

Love always,

Marley

* * *

**a/n: **anyways, i know it's really short but it's based on the perks of being a wallflower and those are broken off into diary entries. i know this chapter is a lot like in the book, but i promise from then on it gets more original. tell me if you are interested :)

i've already said this but the cast is:

charlie: marley rose (the main protagonist, introverted, quiet, naive, sweet)

sam: sam evans (marley's love interest, senior, kind, friendly, a little nerdy, does impressions)

patrick: unique (marley's other best friend, afraid to admit who she is, funny, lighthearted)


End file.
